Spit arrangement for outdoor grill



June 28, 1966 E. w. MELL 3,257,937

SPIT ARRANGEMENT FOR OUTDOOR GRILL Original Filed Jan. 28, 1963 3,257337SPIT ARRANGEMENT FOR OUTDQOR GRILL Eric W. Mell, Mound, Minn, assignorto Tonka Corporation, a corporation of Minnesota Continuation ofapplication Ser. No.'254,318, Jan. 28, 1963. This application June 22,1%5, Ser. No. 465,947 Claims. (Cl. 99-421) This is a continuation ofUnited States application for patent Serial No. 254,318, filed January28, 1963 and now abandoned.

This invention relates generally to cooking chambers, more particularlyto outdoor grills, and especially to motorized spits therefor.

It is old in patented barbecue rotisseries to couple a spit to a motorand to mount the motor to swing in a horizontal are for repositioningthe spit to a location away from the bed of hot coals. However, theprior art arrangements for mounting the motor have the markeddisadvantage of being permanently hinged to the main structure of thebarebecue unit. As a consequence, it is improvident to leave the unitout of doors due to the manifest possibility of damaging the motor uponexposing it to rains, lawn sprinkling and the like. Many owners ofbarbecue units find it inconvenient to house the unit duringthe seasonof intense use, being thereby faced with the decision of acceptingthese'inconveniences or a shortened life of the drive assembly. 1

An important object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide amotorized spit arrangement that is both horizontally swingable relativeto the main barbecue structure and detachable therefrom.

A more general object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedbarbecue grill arrangement.

A further object of the invention is to provide a barbecue unit having amotorized spit that is vertically adjustably positionable relative tothe brazier tray.

A yet further object of the invention is to provide simple andinexpensive means for detachably and swingably mounting a spit drivearrangement to a barbecue unit.

These and other objects and features of the invention will become moreapparent from a reading of the following descriptions.

A structure in accord with the invention includes a brazier tray, aspit, a hood upstanding from the brazier tray and having horizontallyspaced, exposed edge portions adapted to cooperate in supporting theopposite ends of the spit, a hinge base member at one of the exposededge portions including a hollow body having a plurality of verticalslots opening outwardly therefrom for use in mounting a spit drive unit,and a spit drive unit including means drivingly receiving one endof thespit and including a housing having spaced ears extending outwardlytherefrom the ears having downwardly opening notches adapted to enterthe slots of the hinge base member in hooked engagement with the edgesofsuch slots whereby detachably and horizontally swingably to mount thespit drive unit to the hood.

The invention, both to its structure and mode of usage, will be betterunderstood by reference to the following disclosure and drawing forminga part thereof, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a barbecue grill constructed incompliance with the principles of the present invention; 7

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the grill of FIG. 1, the motorizedspit being shown in normal use position extending diametrically over thebrazier tray and being indicated in broken outline as swung horizontallyaway from its position over the brazier tray;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, perspective view of one edge portionof the hood of the grill of FIG. 1, illustrating in particular the hingebase member which is attached to an exterior surface of the hood;

United States Patent 0 3,257,937 Patented June 28, 1966 ice FIG. 4 is anenlarged, fragmentary, plan view of the hinge base member and associatedparts, the hingebase I shown in broken outline; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the spit drive unitillustrating the struck out ears by which the unit is mounted to thehinge base member.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, specifically to FIG. 1, abarbecue grill unit indicated generally by the numeral 10 is shown toinclude a brazier tray 12, a half drum hood 14 upstanding from thebrazier tray, a three point support 16 for elevating the brazier tray,and a motorized spit assembly 18 which is mounted to the hood 14overlying the brazier tray 12. The brazier tray 12 is shown to comprisea moderately shallow pan or dish of circular shape and having a rollededge 20. A central hub 22 upstands from the brazier tray 12 in order toarrange the coals so as to avoid a central hot spot and in order toprovide a single mounting for the brazier tray. This single point ofmounting may be of the pivotal type if desired.

While a single mounting for the brazier tray may be provided, thesupport 16-may also be connected to the brazier tray at various, spacedlocations; and advantageously, the support 16 includes two wheeled legs24 and a fixed leg 26. The wheeled legs 24 may be spaced at their lowerends by a strut 28, and the fixed leg 26 may comprise a straight memberor a bifurcated member as shown. The provision of wheeled legsfacilitates transport of the grill unit 10 while the provision of afixed leg 26 prevents the grill unit from rolling when placed on aninclined surface.

The hood 14 serves as a windshield, as a heat reflector, and as asupport structure for the motorized spit assembly 18; andwhile a halfdrum hood is shown, such shape being particularly advantageous with acircular brazier tray, the hood 14 may take other shapes convenient tothe style and shape of the brazier tray. Specifically, the half drumhood 14 includes a semi-cylindrical sidewall 30 and a segment plate 32..The lower edges of the sidewall 30 are fitted inside the upstandingperipheral wall of the brazier tray to be bolted or welded in place. Inaddition, the segment plate 32 is provided with a depending marginalskirt 34 to receive the upper edge the sidewall 30, bolts, screws orother fastening means being employed to secure the plate 32 to thesidewall 30.

As will be recognized, the segment plate 32 adds rigidity to the hoodstructure 14 and roofs over a semi-circular area of the brazier tray asis well seen in FIG. 2.

Returning to a consideration of FIG. 1, one exposed edge portion of thesidewall -30 is seen to be fashioned with vertically spaced anddownwardly inclined notches 36 for receiving and journalin-g one end ofa spit rod 38. When the spit rod 3 8 is provided with a square or othernon-circular cross-section, one or more grooves with cylindrical floorsare provided on the spit rod to cooperate with the notches 36. At theopposite, exposed edge portion, the semi-cylindrical sidewall 30receives a hinge base member 40 best seen in FIG. 3. This hinge basemember 40 is provided for purposes of mounting the drive unit of themotorized spit assembly 18 and is secured to a convex outer surface ofthe sidewall 30 in order to situate such drive unit away from thebrazier tray. Adjacent the hinge base member 40, the sidewall 30 isfashioned with vertically, spaced notches 42 which cooperate in passingthe portion of at end of the spit rod 38. The housing 46 encloses anelectric motor and a speed reducer according to conventional practice,the electric motor being connected to a suitable source of power bymeans of a cable 50 and the coupling element 4-8 being connected to theoutput shaft of the electric motor through the speed reducer in any wellknown manner. An on-oif switch may also be provided if desired.

The housing 46 of the spit drive unit includes a planar back plate 52;and in order to mount the drive unit 44 to the hinge base member 40,vertically spaced cars 54 are struck out from the back plate 52. Theears 54 are fashioned with downwardly opening notches 56; and the hingebase member 40 is cooperatively provided with a number of vertical slots58 which open outwardly therefrom for receipt of the ears 54. As will beseen in FIG. 3, the slots 58 are arranged in pairs and are verticallyspaced apart for receipt of the ears -4 in selected positions verticallyabove the brazier tray; and in order to receive the cars '54, the hingebase member 40 is fashioned as a hollow body 60 which defines the slots58. The hollow body 60 is fastened to the sidewall 30 by rivets 62 orother suitable fasteners.

The slots 58 are formed in the shape of narrow rectangles havingparallel edges. On the other hand, each of the notches 56 in the cars 54includes a vertical outer edge and an inclined inner edge, this inclinedinner edge serving to lead the edge of a receiving slot 58 intojuxtaposition with the vertical edge. Thus, the ears 54 fit into theslots 58 in hooked engagement therewith. The spit drive unit 44 is thussecurely attached to the side wall 30 of the hood for normal usage,although the drive unit 44 may also be readily detached by lifting theunit to release the hooked engagement of the ears and permit withdrawalof the ears from slots in the hinge base member. Moreover, since thehinge base member comprises the hollow body 60, those portions of theears 54 which reside within the hollow body are permitted to swingfreely therein whereby to develop a hinge action between the spit driveunit and the hinge base member. This freedom of movement is apparentfrom an inspection of FIG. 4.

A handleelement 64 and longitudinally adjustably positionable forks 66are advantageously assembled to the spit rod 38, the forks 66 beingconfrontingly disposed for use in positioning a roast on the spit rod.Moreover, an abbreviated arm 68 is struck out from the back plate 52 ofthe spit drive housing 46 as is shown in FIG. 5; and this abbreviatedarm acts as a horizontal stop, abutting the sidewall 30 of the hood asis shown in FIG. 4 arresting movement of the spit drive unit in thedirection generally toward the hood.

In use of the barbecue grill unit 10, a selected position of the spitrod 38 above the brazier tray 12 is achieved by inserting the ears 54 ofthe drive unit in an appropriate pair of the slots 58, the spit rodpassing through an appropriate notch 42 in the adjacent margin of thehood sidewall 30 and the opposite end of the spit rod being positionedin a corresponding one of the journal notches 36. If it is desired tolocate the spit rod in an intermediate vertical position, the ears 54will be positioned in the second and fifth of the slots 58; the adjacentend of the spit rod will pass through the medial notch 42; and theopposite end of the spit rod will be disposed in the medial notch. 36.The spit rod may be repositioned to a higher and to a lower position incorresponding manner.

Furthermore, the cooperation between the ears 54 and the hollow, slottedbody 60 permits the spit rod 38 to be swung out in a horizontal are asis indicated in the broken line illustrations in FIGS. 2 and 4. Thispermits a roast or other object to be positioned on the spit rod forcooking over the bed of coals contained in the brazier tray 12 andpermits momentary removal of such a roast from over the coals, as forbasting, without the necessity for the user to expose himself to theheat from the coals. Finally, the ready extraetability of the cars 54from the slots 58 permits easy detachment of the spit drive unit 44 fromthe remainder of the barbecue grill; and this allows the drive unit tobe stored indoors while the bulky body of the grill is-left outdoors.

While a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed, it should be understood, of course, that the invention is notlimited thereto since many modifications may be made. Such changes are,therefore, to be considered as forming a part of this invention insofaras they fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a barbecue grill, the combination comprising: a brazier tray; aspit; structure means upstanding from said tray and having horizontallyspaced portions disposed above opposite edges of said tray to cooperatein supporting the opposite ends of said spit in a position verticallyabove said tray, one of said portions defining a downwardly inclinednotch for receiving and journa-ling one end of said spit; hinge basemeans mounted on the outside surface of the opposite portion including ahollow body having a pair of vertical slots opening outwardly therefromand spaced vertically apart for use in mounting a spit drive unitlaterally from the vertical projection of said tray, said slots beinggenerally horizontally aligned with said notch for use in positioningthe opposite end of said spit; and a spit drive unit including couplingmeans drivingly receiving said opposite end of the spit and including ahousing having a pair of vertically aligned and spaced ears extendingoutwardly therefrom, said ears having downwardly opening notchesdisposed in said slots in hooked engagement with the edges thereof fordetachably and swingably mounting said unit to said hinge base means andfor aligning said coupling means with said inclined notch to properlyposition the coupled end of said spit.

2. In a barbecue grill, the combination according to claim 1 whereinsaid structure means is a halfdrum hood and wherein said hinge basemeans is secured to a convex outer surface thereof whereby to situatesaid drive unit away from said brazier tray.

3. In a barbecue grill, the combination according to claim 1 whereinsaid slots have parallel edges and wherein each of the notches in saidears has a vertical outer edge and an inclined inner edge for leadingthe edge of a receiving slot into juxtaposition with said vertical edge.

4. In a barbecue grill, the combination comprising: a brazier tray; aspit; structure means upstanding from said tray and having horizontallyspaced portions disposed above opposite edges of said tray to cooperatein supporting the opposite ends of said spit in a position verticallyabove said tray, one of said portions defining vertically spaced anddownwardly inclined notches for receiving and journaling one end of saidspit in a selected vertical position; hinge base means mounted on theoutside surface of the opposite portion including a hollow body havingpairs of separate vertical slots opening outwardly therefrom and spacedvertically apart for use in mounting a spit drive unit laterally fromthe vertical protection of said tray, each pair of said slotscorresponding positionally to one of said notches; and a spit drive unitincluding coupling means drivingly receiving the opposite end of saidspit and including a housing having a pair of spaced ears extendingoutwardly therefrom, said ears having downwardly opening notchesdisposed in a selected pair of said slots in hooked engagement with theedges thereof for detachably and horizontally swingably mounting saidunit to said hinge base means and for aligning said coupling means withsaid inclined notches to properly position the coupled end of said spitin alignment with the notch selected for supporting the remote end ofsaid spit.

5. In a barbecue grill, the combination comprising: a.

brazier tray; a spit; a structure means upstanding from said tray andhaving horizontally spaced portions disposed above opposite edges ofsaid tray to cooperate in supporting the opposite ends of the spit in aposition vertically above said tray, one of said portions defining aplurality of notches arranged in vertical-1y spaced relation forselectively receiving and journalin-g one end of said spit;

' hinge base means on the opposite portion generally horizontallyaligned with said notches for use in positioning the opposite end of thespit, said hinge base means forming a plurality of vertically spacedpairs of openings having vertically spaced and aligned upwardly facingedges; a spit drive unit including coupling means drivingly receivingsaid opposite end of the spit and including a mounting plate having apair of vertically spaced and aligned horizontally elongated earsextending outwardly therefrom, said ears having downwardly opening hookportions in downwardly hooked engagement with a selected pair of saidedges for swingably mounting said -unit to said hinge base means and foraligning said coupling means horizontally opposite any selected one ofsaid notches to properly position the coupled end of the spit, said hookportions being spaced outwardly from the plate at the extended ends ofthe ears to support the drive unit in spaced relation to the structuremeans and laterally from the vertical projection of the tray and formingthe sole means of connection between the spit drive unit and hinge basemeans whereby the unit may be freely detached from the hinge base meansby merely lifting the unit to raise said hook portions from said edges.

References Cited by the Examiner WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner.

STANLEY P. FISHER, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN A BARBECUE GRILL, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: A BRAZIER TRAY; A SPIT; STRUCTURE MEANS UPSTANDING FROM SAID TRAY AND HAVING HORIZONTALLY SPACED PORTIONS DISPOSED ABOVE OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID TRAY TO COOPERATE IN SUPPORTING THE OPPOSITE EDGES OF SAID SPIT IN A POSITION VERTICALLY ABOVE SAID TRAY, ONE OF SAID PORTIONS DEFINING A DOWNWARDLY INCLINED NOTCH FOR RECEIVING AND JOURNALLING ONE END OF SAID SPIT; HINGE BASE MEANS MOUNTED ON THE OUTSIDE SURFACE OF THE OPPOSITE PORTION INCLUDING A HOLLOW BODY HAVING A PAIR OF VERTICAL SLOTS OPENING OUTWARDLY THEREFROM AND SPACED VERTICALLY APART FOR USE IN MOUNTING A SPIT DRIVE UNIT LATERALLY FROM THE VERTICAL PROJECTION OF SAID TRAY, SAID SLOTS BEING GENERALLY HORIZONTALLY ALIGNED WITH SAID NOTCH FOR USE IN POSITIONING THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID SPIT; AND A SPIT DRIVE UNIT INCLUDING COUPLING MEANS DRIVINGLY RECEIVING SAID OPPOSITE END OF THE SPIT AND INCLUDING A HOUSING HAVING A PAIR OF VERTICALLY ALIGNED AND SPACED EARS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY THEREFROM, SAID EARS HAVING DOWNWARDLY OPENING NOTCHES DISPOSED IN SAID SLOTS IN HOOKED ENGAGEMENT WITH THE EDGES THEREOF FOR DETACHABLY AND SWINGING MOUNTING SAID UNIT TO SAID HINGE BASE MEANS AND FOR ALIGNING SAID COUPLING MEANS WITH SAID INCLINED NOTCH TO PROPERLY POSITTION THE COUPLED END OF SAID SPIT. 